19900309 Caitanya-caritamrita Madhya-līlā 17.24-45 & 17.197-218

The following talk is a part of the Caitanya-līlā seminar given during the Māyāpur festival in Śrī dhāma Māyāpur India. The class was given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami on March 9^th, 1990. It begins with reading from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, chapter 17, verses 24-45 and continues with verses 197-218.

Jayapatākā Swami Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu had once tried to go to Vṛndāvana, where He went up to Rāmakeli. At that time He met Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmī; and he went up to Kānāi Nāṭaśāla. Then He decided not go through that route to the holy land of Vṛndāvana. There were thousands and thousands of people going with Him but not in a proper way. He returned, back towards Jagannātha Purī. That time He visited the other side of the Navadvīpa, Māyāpur, on the other side of the river. He also went to Advaita Gosāi’s house. That is when He observed the festival of Mādhavendra Purī, which we observed yesterday. And then He went back to Jagannātha Purī. But then He decided to go to Vṛndāvana by a secluded route, a route going through the Jhārikhaṇḍa forest. He took the permission of Lord Jagannātha. He got one Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya to take with him. And then suddenly in the morning or late in the night He left before anyone knew it. So, in the morning everyone looked for Lord Caitanya but He was gone.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.24

prasiddha patha chāḍi' prabhu upapathe calilā
'kaṭaka' ḍāhine kari' vane praveśilā

Translation: The Lord abandoned walking on the well-known public road and went instead along a bypass. He thus kept the city of Kaṭaka on His right as He entered the forest.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.25

nirjana-vane cale prabhu kṛṣṇa-nāma lañā
hasti-vyāghra patha chāḍe prabhure dekhiyā

Translation: When the Lord passed through the solitary forest chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, the tigers and elephants, seeing Him, gave way.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.26
pāle-pāle vyāghra, hastī, gaṇḍāra, śūkara-gaṇa
tāra madhye āveśe prabhu karilā gamana

Translation: When the Lord passed through the jungle in great ecstasy, packs of tigers, elephants, rhinoceros and boars came, and the Lord passed right through them.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.27

dekhi' bhaṭṭācāryera mane haya mahā-bhaya
prabhura pratāpe tārā eka pāśa haya

Translation: Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya was very much afraid to see them, but by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's influence, all the animals stood to one side.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.28

eka-dina pathe vyāghra kariyāche śayana
āveśe tāra gāye prabhura lāgila caraṇa

Translation: One day a tiger was lying on the path, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, walking along the path in ecstatic love, touched the tiger with His feet.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.29

prabhu kahe,--kaha 'kṛṣṇa', vyāghra uṭhila
'kṛṣṇa' 'kṛṣṇa' kahi' vyāghra nācite lāgila

Translation: The Lord said, "Chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa!" The tiger immediately got up and began to dance and chant, "Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa!"

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.30

āra dine mahāprabhu kare nadī snāna
matta-hasti-yūtha āila karite jala-pāna

Translation: Another day, while Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was bathing in a river, a herd of maddened elephants came there to drink water.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 31

prabhu jala-kṛtya kare, āge hastī āilā
'kṛṣṇa kaha' bali' prabhu jala pheli' mārilā

Translation:  While the Lord was bathing and murmuring the Gāyatrī mantra, the elephants came before Him. The Lord immediately splashed some water on the elephants and asked them to chant the name of Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.32

sei jala-bindu-kaṇā lāge yāra gāya
sei 'kṛṣṇa' 'kṛṣṇa' kahe, preme nāce, gāya

Translation: The elephants whose bodies were touched by the water splashed by the Lord began to chant, "Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa!" and dance and sing in ecstasy.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.33

keha bhūme paḍe, keha karaye citkāra
dekhi' bhaṭṭācāryera mane haya camatkāra

Translation: Some of the elephants fell to the ground, and some screamed in ecstasy. Seeing this, Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya was completely astonished.

Puport (7.31) (by Śrīla Prabhupāda) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was the Supreme Personality of Godhead playing the part of a very great, advanced devotee. On the mahā-bhāgavata platform, the devotee makes no distinction between friends and enemies. On that platform he sees everyone as a servant of Kṛṣṇa. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (5.18)

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
śuni caiva śva-pāke ca paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

“The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater [outcaste].”

A mahā-bhāgavata, being learned and advanced in spiritual consciousness, sees no difference between a tiger, an elephant or a learned scholar. The test of advanced spiritual consciousness is that one becomes fearless. He envies no one, and he is always engaged in the Lord’s service. He sees every living entity as an eternal part and parcel of the Lord, rendering service according to his capacity by the will of the Supreme Lord. As Kṛṣṇa confirms in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.15)

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca

“I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.”

The mahā-bhāgavata knows that Kṛṣṇa is in everyone’s heart. Kṛṣṇa is dictating, and the living entity is following His dictations. Kṛṣṇa is within the heart of the tiger, elephant and boar. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa tells them, “Here is a mahā-bhāgavata. Please do not disturb him.” Why, then, should the animals be envious of such a great personality? Those who are neophytes or even a little progressed in devotional service should not try to imitate the mahā-bhāgavata. Rather, they should only follow in his footsteps. The word anukara means “imitating,” and anusara means “trying to follow in the footsteps.” We should not try to imitate the activities of a mahā-bhāgavata or Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Our best efforts should be exerted in trying to follow them according to our ability. The mahā-bhāgavata’s heart is completely freed from material contamination, and he can become very dear even to fierce animals like tigers and elephants. Indeed, the mahā-bhāgavata treats them as his very intimate friends. On this platform there is no question of envy. When the Lord was passing through the forest, He was in ecstasy, thinking the forest to be Vṛndāvana. He was simply searching for Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 34

pathe yāite kare prabhu ucca saṅkīrtana
madhura kaṇṭha-dhvani śuni' āise mṛgī-gaṇa

Translation: Sometimes Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu chanted very loudly while passing through the jungle. Hearing His sweet voice, all the does came near Him.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 35

ḍāhine-vāme dhvani śuni' yāya prabhu-saṅge
prabhu tāra aṅga muche, śloka paḍe raṅge

Translation: Hearing the Lord's great vibration, all the does followed Him left and right. While reciting a verse with great curiosity, the Lord patted them.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 36

dhanyāḥ sma mūḍha-matayo 'pi hariṇya etā
yā nanda-nandanam upātta-vicitra-veśam
ākarṇya veṇu-raṇitaṁ saha-kṛṣṇa-sārāḥ
pūjāṁ dadhur viracitāṁ praṇayāvalokaiḥ

Translation: "Blessed are all these foolish deer because they have approached the son of Mahārāja Nanda, who is gorgeously dressed and is playing on His flute. Indeed, both the does and the bucks worship the Lord with looks of love and affection."

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 37

hena-kāle vyāghra tathā āila pāṅca-sāta
vyāghra-mṛgī mili' cale mahāprabhura sātha

Translation: While Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was passing through the jungle, five or seven tigers came. Joining the deer, the tigers began to follow the Lord.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 38

dekhi' mahāprabhura 'vṛndāvana'-smṛti haila
vṛndāvana-guṇa-varṇana śloka paḍila

Translation: Seeing the tigers and deer following Him, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately remembered the land of Vṛndāvana. He then began to recite a verse describing the transcendental quality of Vṛndāvana.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 39

yatra naisarga-durvairāḥ
sahāsan nṛ-mṛgādayaḥ
mitrāṇīvājitāvāsa-
druta-ruṭ-tarṣaṇādikam

Translation: "Vṛndāvana is the transcendental abode of the Lord. There is no hunger, anger or thirst there. Though naturally inimical, both human beings and fierce animals live together there in transcendental friendship."

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.40

'kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kaha' kari' prabhu yabe balila
'kṛṣṇa' kahi' vyāghra-mṛga nācite lāgila

Translation: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “Chant Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa!" the tigers and deer began to dance and chant, "Kṛṣṇa!"

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.41

nāce, kunde vyāghra-gaṇa mṛgī-gaṇa-saṅge
balabhadra-bhaṭṭācārya dekhe apūrva-raṅge

Translation: When all the tigers and does danced and jumped, Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya saw them and was struck with wonder.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 42

vyāghra-mṛga anyonye kare āliṅgana
mukhe mukha diyā kare anyonye cumbana

Translation: Indeed, the tigers and deer began to embrace one another, and, touching mouths, they began to kiss.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.43

kautuka dekhiyā prabhu hāsite lāgilā
tā-sabāke tāhāṅ chāḍi' āge cali' gelā

Translation: When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw all this fun, He began to smile. Finally He left the animals and continued on His way.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.44

mayūrādi pakṣi-gaṇa prabhure dekhiyā
saṅge cale, 'kṛṣṇa' bali' nāce matta hañā

Translation: Various birds, including the peacock, saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and began to follow Him, chanting and dancing. They were all maddened by the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 197

kaṣṭe-sṛṣṭye dhenu saba rākhila goyāla
prabhu-kaṇṭha-dhvani śuni' āise mṛgī-pāla

Translation: It was with great difficulty that the cowherd men were able to keep the cows back. Then when the Lord chanted, all the deer heard His sweet voice and approached Him.

Translation: (17.45) When the Lord loudly chanted “Haribol!” the trees and creepers became jubilant to hear Him.

Translation: (17.46) Thus all living entities in the forest of Jhārikhaṇḍa — some moving and some standing still — became maddened by hearing the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa vibrated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Jayapatākā Swami Prabhupāda says by chanting loudly Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is so powerful that it can even penetrate the ears of trees and creepers. Then what to speak of animals and human beings. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu once asked Haridāsa Ṭḥākura how the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra could benefit not only trees and plants, but insects and other living beings. One should therefore not be disturbed by the loud chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, for it is beneficial not only to the chanter but to everyone who gets an opportunity to hear.

Sometimes we hear a complaint that the kīrtana is too loud. (laughter) So, we heard something about Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s animal pastimes. Pastimes with the animals in the forest of Jharkhand. Even the tigers and deer were dancing and kissing. They were excessively chanting

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and his followers had a few pastimes with animals. There was a famous story of Śivānanda Sena, when he gave his mercy to a dog. The dog was coming along with a Bengal devotee, from Bengal to Jagannātha Purī. When they would come to a river, he would say a prayer that the dog should cross the river to the other side. Sometimes the dog would get separated from the party, he would send people out to bring him. Very unusual affection he gave to that dog. Because Śivānanda Sena gave that affection to the dog, when finally, the party reached Jagannātha Purī, they found that dog was missing. When they came to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, there they saw the dog was sitting in front of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and Lord Caitanya threw the dog a bit of the coconut prasādam to catch, and the dog caught it in the air and he was able to. In this way the dog got prasādam from the hand of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he was liberated and went back to the spiritual world. So just by having the mercy of a devotee of the Lord, the Lord delivered the dog. That’s why we are anxious to get the mercy of devotees of the Lord by putting ourselves in a humble position, lower than a straw on the street, even like a dog or a Vaiṣṇava. Knowing that if we can get the blessing of the spiritual master, blessing of Śrīla Prabhupāda, then just as Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave his mercy to the dog. Just by the affection given by Śivānanda Sena, similarly let us hope that we can get that mercy of the Lord. Actually, when Lord Caitanya was just a small boy, somewhere around three or four years old like that, before his paugaṇḍa-līlā, during his kaumāra, just a śiśu type, before kaumāra. He would be playing with some of the neighbourhood boys. One day a group of three-four puppies (baby dogs – kūkūrera bācchā [pup in Bengali]) came and baby Nimāi, small child Nimāi thought, “Oh look! Here some dogs have come. Puppy dog.” He tied a little rope around and he walked his dog. That night, mother Śacī… what he did was he tied the dog outside, to one of the bamboo poles of the house, and he went inside the house. Since at that time mother Śacī was leaving the house and said ‘I am going to the Ganges, I will be back. You just stay here until I come’. Mother Śacī left with a turban and she did not see the dog. So then suddenly Nimāi brought the dog inside the house and then he was playing with the puppy. So mother Śacī came back and she was shocked, ‘How baby Nimāi is sitting there with a dog?’ She says, “You are a brāhmaṇa boy, and You brought a dog in the house. You cannot have this dog here. Don’t You know dogs are unclean.”

But baby Nimāi said, “No! It’s my pet. My baby dog!”

Then mother Śacī says, “No no! Take it outside the home. As a brāhmaṇa, you can’t bring a dog in the house.” Then she brought baby Nimāi with the dog out, and then they tied it again to the house. Mother Śacī said, ‘You go and bathe in Ganges and come back’. So then, when Nimāi went, she thought how to get rid of this dog. Then the mother came by, looking for the puppy. So then she released the puppy and went off with its mother. Then when Lord Caitanya came back He said, “Where is my puppy!? Where is my pet?”

And she said, “Well, I do not know. Maybe one of your friends took it.”

Then He was crying, “I lost my puppy, I lost my puppy!” He was a little small child.

So, then mother Śacī picked him up and she wiped the tear drops on his cheeks and said, “Oh Nimāi. Don’t cry. I will get You another one tomorrow. Do not worry, now you come and take your prasādam, it is time for your prasādam.” Brought Him inside to take the prasādam. Meanwhile this puppy, who has been touched by the hand of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in another part of the town, he was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. He said, “Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Hari bol! Hari bol!” (laughter) He was jumping up and down on the hind legs and then sometimes rolling back and forth on the ground in ecstasy.  Jumping up, “Hari bol! Hari bol!”, and playing around. A whole crowd of people gathered, “What kind of dog is this!? What is going on?? The puppy is jumping up and down, chanting, rolling on the ground, up again. Finally he’s jumping ‘Hare Kṛṣṇa! Hare Kṛṣṇa! Hare Kṛṣṇa! Hare Kṛṣṇa!” Still everyone’s looking and the dog was dead. All of a sudden there was a strange feeling in the air. There was a brilliant light far away in the sky and gradually it got bigger and bigger. It got bigger and more brilliant. People went back. All of a sudden, down came this brilliant light from the sky. They saw it was a brilliant chariot, a type of a spiritual vimānam (airship) in the shape of a multi turreted chariot. And on the chariot there was Viṣṇudūtās with transcendental forms. And all of a sudden, out of the puppy’s body there came a brilliant light. That light turned into a two handed form, a transcendental form, sat on that chariot and *Gurudeva makes UFO noises* disappeared in the sky.

Nitāi-Gaura Premānande… Hari Hari Hari bol!

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu kī…!

Devotees Jaya!

Just by His touch, love of God - back to Godhead.  This was so amazing and people did not know the reason. Later it was revealed. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu—Śrīla Prabhupāda explained—He was so merciful that He would get animals to chant

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

That He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, so he could get them to chant. At least we could get the human beings to chant and dance.  By getting human beings to chant and dance, that will fulfill our responsibility to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Now as human society is becoming more and more animalistic, people are becoming more afraid. It's more dangerous to go on to the streets. In some parts of big cities in modern countries, people cannot walk the streets after dark. It may be more dangerous than a jungle. It is known as the asphalt jungle. I was told when we were going in New York city, that in some parts of the city, even in the broad daylight if you drive in your car, people would come up with baseball bats, smash the front window of the car and rob the person.  So fearful. Now we hear there are many murders and problems. Actually if Caitanya Mahāprabhu could get Jharkhand tigers and rhinoceroses to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, so if we can get the urban residents to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa that will also be very successful. That is the reason to develop this program to get everyone to chant

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

Someone is born as an animal because of their karma. Due to bad karma, they get low birth. But by the mercy of Lord Caitanya, he even delivered the animals. So if someone is a human being, they can chant, they can sing, they can dance, they can eat Kṛṣṇa prasādam easily. Sometimes we hear how a godbrother of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭḥākura, Vamśivadana dāsā Bābājī, who was mahā-bhāgavata. One time he just started to feed all the dogs of Navadvīpa. Śrīla Prabhupāda said that sometimes devotees who commit offenses in holy dhāma, they take birth as animals. As monkeys, or pigs, or dogs. So Vamśivadana dāsa Bābājī, he set out leaf plates on the main street. Like hundred leaf plates or more. Only leaf plates, and then somehow he called. And all of a sudden, all the dogs in Navadvīpa, they came and each took their seat in front of the leaf plates in complete order and they took prasādam.

Nitāi-Gaura premānande! Hari Bol!

Here in Māyāpur, there was once an amazing thing that happened when Prabhupāda deity was in the old part of the temple. The devotee told me that a dog was going and paying his obeisances in front of the Prabhupāda’s vyāsāsana. After the evening ārati, the Deities were closed, then he’d run off. That time Māyāpur had only about 30 or so devotees. And after the evening ārati they would go and take milk (?) prasādam. So hearing this report, one night the devotee saw the dog walking into the temple when no one was there. The dog went to Prabhupāda’s vyāsāsana and do prostate obeisances. And then get up and go off. After that we did not see the dog, after some time we didn’t see anymore. Don’t know which devotee that was. So, of course it is better to go back to Godhead directly and not come back as a dog or animal. Even though if one is fortunate to be born as even a dog in the holy dhāma, you can get kṛṣṇa-prasādam, although there are some risks involved sometimes. Prabhupāda wanted us to take dogs out of the land, but he did not want us to kill any of the animals of course, or grievously injure them. He said they are also dhāma-vāsī. But at the same time, he did not want them to be inside the grounds because there’s a very big task. Because now the campus is increasing, the dogs find the place how to get in. But one time by accident one dog died, and Prabhupāda was very upset.  Dog or cat, someone died. So, even in Māyāpur, we could tell so many animal stories that have been going on here. And the point is that the spirit soul in an animal or human being is not different, but the covering of consciousness is different. But sometimes some devotee may take birth as an animal and still retain the remembrance of their previous birth.

It was very difficult for cowherd men to keep the cows back then when the Lord chanted all the deer’s heard it and approached him. (Refer above to texts 198-218).

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.198

mṛga-mṛgī mukha dekhi' prabhu-aṅga cāṭe
bhaya nāhi kare, saṅge yāya vāṭe-vāṭe

Translation: When the does and bucks came and saw the Lord's face, they began to lick His body. Not being at all afraid of Him, they accompanied Him along the path.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.199

śuka, pika, bhṛṅga prabhure dekhi' 'pañcama' gāya
śikhi-gaṇa nṛtya kari' prabhu-āge yāya

Translation: Bumblebees and birds like the parrot and cuckoo all began to sing loudly on the fifth note, and the peacocks began to dance in front of the Lord.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.200

prabhu dekhi' vṛndāvanera vṛkṣa-latā-gaṇe
aṅkura pulaka, madhu-aśru variṣaṇe

Translation: Upon seeing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the trees and creepers of Vṛndāvana became jubilant. Their twigs stood up, and they began to shed tears of ecstasy in the form of honey.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.201

phula-phala bhari' ḍāla paḍe prabhu-pāya
bandhu dekhi' bandhu yena'bheṭa' lañā yāya

Translation: The trees and creepers, overloaded with fruits and flowers, fell down at the lotus feet of the Lord and greeted Him with various presentations as if they were friends.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.202

prabhu dekhi' vṛndāvanera sthāvara-jaṅgama
ānandita--bandhu yena dekhe bandhu-gaṇa

Translation: Thus, all the moving and non-moving living entities of Vṛndāvana became very jubilant to see the Lord. It was as if friends were made happy by seeing another friend.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.203

tā-sabāra prīti dekhi' prabhu bhāvāveśe
sabā-sane krīḍā kare hañā tāra vase

Translation: Seeing their affection, the Lord was moved by ecstatic love. He began to sport with them exactly as a friend sports with another friend. Thus He voluntarily came under the control of His friends.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.204

prati vṛkṣa-latā prabhu karena āliṅgana
puṣpādi dhyāne karena kṛṣṇe samarpaṇa

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to embrace each and every tree and creeper, and they began to offer their fruits and flowers as if in meditation.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 205

aśru-kampa-pulaka-preme śarīra asthire
'kṛṣṇa' bala, 'kṛṣṇa' bala--bale uccaiḥsvare

Translation: The Lord's body was restless, and tears, trembling and jubilation were manifest. He said very loudly, "Chant Kṛṣṇa! Chant Kṛṣṇa!"

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 206

sthāvara-jaṅgama mili' kare kṛṣṇa-dhvani
prabhura gambhīra-svare yena prati-dhvani

Translation: All moving and nonmoving creatures then began to vibrate the transcendental sound of Hare Kṛṣṇa, as if they were echoing the deep sound of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 207

mṛgera galā dhari' prabhu karena rodane
mṛgera pulaka aṅge, aśru nayane

Translation: The Lord then clasped the necks of the deer and began to cry. There was jubilation manifest in the bodies of the deer, and tears were in their eyes.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 208

vṛkṣa-ḍāle śuka-śārī dila daraśana
tāhā dekhi' prabhura kichu śunite haila mana

Translation: When a male and female parrot appeared on the branches of a tree, the Lord saw them and wanted to hear them speak.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 209
śuka-śārikā prabhura hāte uḍi' paḍe
prabhuke śunāñā kṛṣṇera guṇa-śloka paḍe

Translation: Both parrots flew onto the hand of the Lord and began to chant the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa, and the Lord listened to them.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 210

saundaryaṁ lalanāli-dhairya-dalanaṁ līlā ramā-stambhinī
vīryaṁ kandukitādri-varyam amalāḥ pāre-parārdhaṁ guṇāḥ
śīlaṁ sarva-janānurañjanam aho yasyāyam asmat-prabhur
viśvaṁ viśva-janīna-kīrtir avatāt kṛṣṇo jagan-mohanaḥ

Translation: The male parrot sang "The glorification of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is beneficial to everyone in the universe. His beauty is victorious over the gopīs of Vṛndāvana, and it subdues their patience. His pastimes astound the goddess of fortune, and His bodily strength turns Govardhana Hill into a small toy like a ball. His spotless qualities are unlimited, and His behaviour satisfies everyone. Lord Kṛṣṇa is attractive to everyone. Oh, may our Lord maintain the whole universe!"

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 211

śuka-mukhe śuni' tabe kṛṣṇera varṇana
śārikā paḍaye tabe rādhikā-varṇana

Translation: After hearing this description of Lord Kṛṣṇa from the male parrot, the female parrot began to recite a description of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 212

śrī-rādhikāyāḥ priyatā surūpatā
suśīlatā nartana-gāna-cāturī
guṇāli-sampat kavitā ca rājate
jagan-mano-mohana-citta-mohinī

Translation: The female parrot said "Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī's affection, Her exquisite beauty and good behavior, Her artistic dancing and chanting and Her poetic compositions are all so attractive that they attract the mind of Kṛṣṇa, who attracts the mind of everyone in the universe."

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 213

punaḥ śuka kahe,--kṛṣṇa 'madana-mohana'
tabe āra śloka śuka karila paṭhana

Translation: Thereafter the male parrot said, "Kṛṣṇa is the enchanter of the mind of Cupid." He then began to recite another verse.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17. 214

vamśī-dhārī jagan-nāri- citta-hārī sa śārike
vihārī gopa-nārībhir jīyān madana-mohanaḥ

Translation: The parrot then said, "My dear śārī [female parrot], Śrī Kṛṣṇa carries a flute and enchants the hearts of all women throughout the universe. He is specifically the enjoyer of beautiful gopīs, and He is the enchanter of Cupid also. Let Him be glorified!"

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.215

punaḥ śārī kahe śuke kari' parihāsa
tāhā śuni' prabhura haila vismaya-premollāsa

Translation: Then the female parrot began to speak jokingly to śuka, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was struck with wonderful ecstatic love to hear her speak.

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.216

rādhā-saṅge yadā bhāti tadā 'madana-mohanaḥ'
anyathā viśva-moho 'pi svayaṁ 'madana-mohitaḥ'

Translation: The parrot śārī said, "When Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is with Rādhārāṇī, He is the enchanter of Cupid; otherwise, when He is alone, He Himself is enchanted by erotic feelings even though He enchants the whole universe."

Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Madanamohana ki!

Devotees Jaya!

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.217

śuka-śārī uḍi' punaḥ gela vṛkṣa-ḍāle
mayūrera nṛtya prabhu dekhe kutūhale

Translation: Both parrots then flew onto a tree branch, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to watch the dancing of peacocks with curiosity.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ki

Devotees: Jaya!

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 17.218

mayūrera kaṇṭha dekhi' prabhura kṛṣṇa-smṛti haila
premāveśe mahāprabhu bhūmite paḍila

Translation: When the Lord saw the bluish necks of the peacocks, His remembrance of Kṛṣṇa immediately awakened, and He fell to the ground in ecstatic love.

Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava ki…     

Devotees: Jaya!

Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Madanamohana ki…

Devotees: Jaya!

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ki…

Devotees: Jaya!

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu had these ecstatic pastimes with the animal residents of Vṛndāvana. Actually, here in Māyāpur we were walking with Śrīla Prabhupāda; and then someone asked Prabhupāda about one of the trees and Śrīla Prabhupāda said “All the trees are kalpa-vṛkṣa. They’re desire trees if you have eyes to see. And especially one tree was there which was especially the residence of yoga-māyā. So, when Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura would go throughout the dhāma of Navadvīpa, he was not seeing it as material world. He would actually sometimes get the vision of the spiritual world. He could see the trees as transcendental kalpa-vṛkṣas, and could see everything in its transcendental form. Nityānanda explains that the dhāma was covered by a thin layer of molecules which is covering the vision of the conditioned souls. But those who are fortunate, they can actually see the holy dhāma in its spiritual glory. Those who are reside in the dhāma, and know their constitutional position as the servant of the servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they gain the benefit of living in the spiritual world, living in the spiritual kingdom of God. So today we discussed Lord Caitanya pastimes with the animals.